She was a bit irritating, but genuinely loved music and her heart was always in the right place.
Top of the Pops BBC4
- Thread starter idratherjack
- Start date
She was a bit irritating, but genuinely loved music and her heart was always in the right place.
What's this about a 15 minute episode?!
Are these on iplayer or do we have to watch live?
Last night's was over by 7.45pm! I checked the time because I couldn't believe it! Something to do with "football". Whatever that is.
1983 FA Cup final. And, if it's not bad enough that TOTP was curtailed for that we had to endure a football song on the show as well.
Thursday's show was excellent though. Yazoo ruled the whole episode. I'd imagine that the day that show was filmed you couldn't get a can of hairspray in any of the shops in Elstree for love nor money! Eighties big hair starts here.
Thursday's show was excellent though. Yazoo ruled the whole episode. I'd imagine that the day that show was filmed you couldn't get a can of hairspray in any of the shops in Elstree for love nor money! Eighties big hair starts here.
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I find the singer from Twisted Sister slightly disturbing.
He looks like a male Taylor Dayne. And not in a good way.
He looks like a male Taylor Dayne. And not in a good way.
Twisted Sister are so comical. Can't help but feel that Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson watched that and based Bad News on them for the Comic Strip series.
The clip of them in the Story Of 83 is probably this same performance. It is indeed, um, "different".
Terrible miming too!
What the hell was that The Imposter song? It might just have been the worst thing I have ever heard.
I had never heard the song or knew it was an Elvis Costello side project but I quite like it to he honest. Thought it was pretty decent.
What??!!! It's absolute genius. I've been listening to it this week and thinking it might just be one of the greatest singles ever made. For maximum effect, play it next to Shipbuilding by Robert Wyatt, also from 1983 and written by EC.
It was his biggest hit in years, he hadn't had a Top 20 hit since about 1980.
Think I'm alright thanks!
What was it about? Some kind of protest song?
And to think they never played Irene Cara and Flashdance, a new entry at #9!
Pills And Soap is one of the greatest protest political songs. Inspired by the Falklands crisis, and Thatcher seeking re-election in May 1983. Even now it is as relevant as ever, with our Tory friends back in power. It's so minimal, a completely non-Elvis Costello kind of record, but the lyrics are razorsharp and full of brilliant, withering imagery.
He used the alter-ego again in 1984 for Peace In Our Time, complete with Neville Chamberlain on the sleeve.
He used the alter-ego again in 1984 for Peace In Our Time, complete with Neville Chamberlain on the sleeve.
That gives it a bit of context for me, thanks!
Think I will stick with I'd Rather Jack as my favourite protest song though.
As we have previously established, this role is already filled by Anastacia.
Haha, each to their own! I first heard Pills & Soap in 1986, on his Best Of collection "The Man" which I found in Woolworths' bargain bin on casette for about 1.99. It must have been quite a head-turner on release, in amongst the stuff in the Top 20. I love how pared down it is, just a drum machine, a piano and some synths. Given how little of a "singles act" Costello was by the mid-80s, it's strange how well it did.
Will watch this tomorrow. I loved Irene Cara's song too. I think she sounded a bit too much like Donna Summer for her own good. They kind of cancelled each other out!